Going green in February now

Wymondham Waitrose have advised us that, in our best interests, our appeal will now be part of their February Community Matters Initiative rather than January.

So please now support the Barnham Broom Church Bells Restoration Appeal with your green tokens when you shop in Wymondham Waitrose during February.

Going green with Waitrose in January

Thank you to Waitrose at Wymondham who tell us that they have selected us for their Community Matters Initiative next month.

Please support the Barnham Broom Church Bells Restoration Appeal with your green tokens when you shop in Wymondham Waitrose during January. 

Christmas Bingo – thank you

Thank you to all who joined us for Christmas Bingo in aid of the Barnham Broom Church Bells Restoration Appeal.

Thanks also to the organisers and helpers and to those who provided prizes and refreshments. Special thanks to the companies that gave donations including Waitrose, NCFC, Theatre Royal, Parkes Butchers, The Edge at Barnham Broom, The Lavender House, Konect and others providing meal vouchers. 

The festive evening was enjoyed by all, helping us to raise over £300 on the night towards the Bells Appeal.

Old Bells

In Colchester Castle museum, there is a church bell cast in 1591 by the earliest known Colchester bellfounder.  

In the Bell Tower at Barnham Broom, we have two bells older than this.

Our 3rd and 4th bells are listed in the Church Buildings Council "Schedule of Bells for

Preservation" in the Diocese of Norwich.

3rd c1500 Founder Brasyers of Norwich approx. weight 290kg diameter 824mm 

4th c1470 Founder John Magges of Norwich approx. weight 430kg diameter 902mm

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 UPDATE

Our meeting with Peter Trent, the Diocesan Bell Adviser, has finalised the details of what is to be included in the restoration work. Based on this, we are in the process of asking for the restoration quotes to be refined so that we have a proper like-for-like comparison.

Following on from our “a little Midsummer music” concert at Barnham Broom Church in June, we have started a small hand bell group and are currently practising a few carols.

The Events committee are in the final stages of organising the Christmas Bingo in aid of the Church Bells appeal at Barnham Broom Village Hall on Saturday 5th December. |Join us for Eyes down at 7:30 for prize Bingo, a raffle and refreshments.  

Once again our thanks go to the Customers and Staff of Barnham Broom Post Office and Stores where over £200 has been raised so far from the Bells Appeal collection boxes.

A big thank you to everyone for their continued support and donations.

Our fund has now reached over £12,500.

Be a part of the Barnham Broom Fete

Would you like to be a part of the Barnham Broom Fete? 

It is being held on Sunday 17th July 2016 from 1.00pm to 5.00pm. We are looking for individuals, groups or businesses from Barnham Broom or the surrounding villages to join us. 

Can you provide games such as skittles, bowling, darts etc. or children’s games? Would you like a stall such as for crafts, photography, painting etc.? 

For further details contact the organisers via bbbells.appeal@gmail.com.

Christmas Bingo

Come and join us for Christmas Bingo on Saturday 5th December at

Barnham Broom Village Hall NR9 4BU in aid of the Barnham Broom Church Bells Appeal.

Doors open from 7pm, with eyes down at 7.30 for Prize Bingo, Raffle and Refreshments.

Free admission, no pre-booking.

OCTOBER 2015 UPDATE

Now that we have heard the sound of our Bells, we’ll be meeting with Peter Trent, the Diocesan Bell Adviser, to finalise the details of the restoration work. This will be based on the options provided in the reports we’ve received.

As well as organising the 2016 Barnham Broom fete, the Events committee are planning a Mardling evening with Keith Skipper for 2016.

Mardle (Norfolk Dialect):  To gossip, or chat. Also, another name for a pond!

Also being planned is Christmas Bingo in aid of the Church Bells appeal. Doors open at the Barnham Broom Village Hall at 7pm on Saturday 5th December for eyes down at 7:30.  Free admission, so just turn up on the night for lots of prizes, a raffle and refreshments. See our posters going up nearer the time.

We are very grateful to Barnham Broom Country Club for offering to host a Golf Day in aid of the Church Bells appeal in 2016.

Thanks also to Sainsbury’s for their recent donation and to everyone for their continued support and donations, helping our fund reach over £11,900 of our target £65,000 so far.

Our October Newsletter

Find out how our restoration project is going from our latest newsletter.
See the Newsletters page on our blog.
If you would prefer a copy of each newsletter as it is issued via email, please contact bbbells.appeal@gmail.com to be included on our distribution list.

Our latest Newsletter is here: Newsletter 02 (Oct 2015)

Would you like to hear the bells ringing?

Peter Trent, the Diocesan Bell Adviser, very kindly recorded our bells ringing last week and shared this with us in a dropbox file.

Barnham Broom Bells Sept 2015

A much smaller mp3 version of this is also available via dropbox.

Barnham Broom Bells mp3 Sept 2015

Our restoration costing reports have given us the details of our bells: 

BELL	DIAMETER	DATE	FOUNDER
Tenor	3'- 21/8"	1733	Thomas Newman
4th	2'- 115/8"	C15th	John Magges
3rd	2'- 81/2"	C15th	Brasyers of Norwich
2nd	2'- 51/2"	1893	Mears & Stainbank
Treble	2'- 31/2"	1707	Thomas Newman

The 3rd and 4th bells are listed in the Church Buildings Council "Schedule of Bells for

Preservation" in the Diocese of Norwich.

John Barnes from the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers advises “A bell that has never been tuned is called a maiden bell.  All your bells are maiden bells.”

SEPTEMBER 2015 UPDATE

Our first four Bell Ringers are continuing their lessons with Keith Tinsey at Reymerston and are now joining the regular Bell Ringers at their Friday evening practice sessions.

We have three separate costings for the work needed on the bells as well as a costing for the repairs to the bell tower.  Peter Trent, the Diocesan Bell Adviser and John Barnes from the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers joined us at 5pm on Monday 21^st September at the Church of St Peter & St Paul, Barnham Broom. We were able to listen to the sound of the bells we are trying to restore thanks to Keith Tinsey and local ringers Mark Tweedy, Phil Dentten and Jill Tinsey. This will help with the decision-making process on the options available to us.

Our thanks once again for your continued support and donations. Special thanks to the North Norfolk Pony club for their recent donation,  the Barnham Broom and District WI for fund raising at their August meeting and to the Customers and Staff of Barnham Broom Post Office and Stores where over £150 has been raised so far from the Bells Appeal collection boxes.

Thanks also to all who supported or helped at the coffee morning, which raised £215.

Ringing the Bells

On the damp Monday evening of 21^st September, members of the Bells committee met up with Peter Trent, the Diocesan Bell Adviser and John Barnes from the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers to hear all 5 bells of the Church of St Peter & St Paul, Barnham Broom, ringing.

Thanks to our bell ringing trainer, Keith Tinsey and local ringers Mark Tweedy, Phil Dentten and Jill Tinsey, it was possible to listen to the sound of the bells we are trying to restore, with a full round being rung for the first time since 1973.

Coffee morning for the Bells Appeal – thank you

Thank you to all who came to support us at our coffee morning in aid of the Barnham Broom Church Bells Restoration Appeal.

Our thanks go to all who provided refreshments, produce and bring and buy items and for those who helped on the day. Special thanks for the use of such a beautiful garden where the warm, sunny weather made for a very relaxing morning.

Coffee morning for the Bells Appeal

Please come and join us for a coffee morning on Thursday 10th September 10-12.

As well as tea, coffee, cakes and biccies, there will be a Bring and Buy Sale and Produce Stall all in aid of the Barnham Broom Church Bells Restoration Appeal.

Further details on our posters going up around the village.

AUGUST 2015 UPDATE

A big thank you for your continued support and donations, helping our fund reach over £9,000 so far. Irons and Stone Restoration Ltd have completed their work restoring the trapdoor to the roof of the tower and we are gathering quotes for both the Tower and Bells restorations.

We’ll be holding a coffee morning next month, on Thursday 10th September, in aid of the Bells Appeal. Look out for details by poster, facebook and blog nearer the time.

Another date for your diaries is Sunday 17^th July 2016, which is the date set for the Barnham Broom Village Fete in aid of the Bells Appeal.  Organisation of this is just starting.

View from the roof

Some pictures from the top of the tower at Barnham Broom Church after the precarious climb to check out the restored trapdoor to the roof.  

Our first Newsletter

Find out how our restoration project is going from our first newsletter.

See the new Newsletters page on our blog.

If you would prefer a copy of each newsletter as it is issued via email, please contact bbbells.appeal@gmail.com to be included on our distribution list.

Our first Newsletter is here:   Newsletter 01 (July 2015)

JULY 2015 UPDATE

Our fund has now reached over £8,000. We would like to express our thanks to The Paul Bassham Charitable Trust for their generous donation and to Mary Miller for donating the proceeds from the sale of her booklet “18th Century Life in the Upper Yare Parishes”.

Our thanks also go to Hartley and Adrianne Booth for hosting a tour with refreshments at the Old Hall, Barnham Broom for a group of 48 local National Trust representatives. Further groups of 36 from Shropshire National Trust and 30 from the Wymondham Historical Society will be touring the Old Hall, which is not normally open to the public. Contributions from this are being made to the Bells fund.  

A new Events committee has been formed to organise various fund-raising events. Presently under discussion is a village fete for 2016. So watch this space!

JUNE 2015 UPDATE

Now the belfry is cleared and the window netting secured, recommendations and costings for re-hanging the bells and repairs to the West wall of the Tower are being gathered. Detailed costings are needed to support the grant application process.

We would like to express our thanks for the generous donations received from Sainsbury’s and The Rackham Trust. Our thanks also go to the Customers and Staff of Barnham Broom Post Office and Stores where over £100 has been raised so far from the Bells Appeal collection boxes.

A total of £500 has been raised from the very enjoyable “a little Midsummer music” concert at Barnham Broom Church together with related donations.

A little Midsummer music – thank you

Thank you to all who came to hear a little Midsummer music at Barnham Broom Church, helping us raise over £400 towards the Barnham Broom Church Bells Restoration Appeal.

Our thanks for a very enjoyable evening go to the D’Capo choir, Barnham Broom School choir, the Windmill Ringers and all who helped and provided refreshments.

A little Midsummer music

Come and join us for a little Midsummer music with the D’Capo choir, Barnham Broom School choir and Windmill Ringers       

on Friday 19th June 7.00pm  to 9.30pm

at The Church of St Peter & St Paul in Barnham Broom  NR9 4DB

in aid of the Barnham Broom Church Bells Appeal

Adults £5 Children £3 on the door                

Refreshments available

MAY 2015 UPDATE

Work has started on the belfry.

Irons and Stone Restoration Ltd spent three days in April clearing the accumulation of twigs and other debris and securing the netting over the windows. Now the Bell Chamber and Silence Chamber are clear, an architectural survey will provide a more accurate picture of the work needed and costs involved.

18th Century Life in the Upper Yare Parishes

This excellent publication gives a glimpse of life in the 1700’s and is gleaned from the earliest newspapers. It covers life as it was then in all our parishes and has been written and researched by Mary Miller who is the author of many historical publications. The booklet is on sale for £5 and copies can be obtained by contacting bbbells.appeal@gmail.com 

Mary has very generously donated all the money raised to the Barnham Broom Church Bells Restoration Appeal.

APRIL 2015 UPDATE

The total of funds and pledges has reached £5000. The work to clear and tidy the Bell Tower has been approved and is due to start 22nd April. Once clear, a survey will determine the remaining work.

A visit of Bell Ringers to the school and a joint Village Hall and Bells Quiz are being planned.

Our first fledgling Bell Ringers are soon to start lessons at Reymerston, but more are needed!

FEBRUARY 2015 UPDATE

The present work is still at an early stage and detailed proposals and more accurate costs will emerge as more clearing of debris and investigation work is done.

The Diocesan Bell Advisor has recommended replacement of the bell bearings and fittings rather than adjusting and modifying the present ones, this being more economic in the long run.  The bell frame itself appears sound and in reasonable condition.

The cracks in the West wall require further investigation.  Stitching and re-pointing of these will be needed.  The flintwork walls of the stair turret also require strengthening to resist movement from the bells.  Some repairs and strengthening to the foundation beams supporting the frame and to the bell chamber floor are also anticipated.

Details will be determined when the present accumulation of twigs and debris have been cleared from the belfry.